Fire Insurance Maps

Fire insurance maps, also known as fire insurance plans, were used by insurance companies to evaluate risks for insured properties. They show things connected to fire risk with precision, like fire hydrants, building material and street access for fire trucks. They also recorded details like chimneys, boilers, window types and porches as well as many utilitarian structures often overlooked by other sources. Railway tracks are often shown in considerable detail, although the number of tracks and switch locations can be a bit approximate. Most towns in Nova Scotia had fire insurance maps from the late 1800s, updated regularly until the 1950s, but few have been digitized.

Note:For more precise details of tracks and sidings, see the DAR collection of Track Charts.